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The Gripen Flies Every Day

By: Carina Wrangberth/PAO Loyal Arrow 2009 – 16 June 2009 kl: 09.41

Last updated: 08 July 2013 kl: 14.41

Archived news

It has been possible for the Swedish pilots to fly every day during exercise Loyal Arrow.”We have carried out all our planned flights, the other nations have had to cancel a few times because of low cloud base,” says the Carl-Johan Edström, pilot and CO of the second Squadron of the F 21 Wing.

The Swedish JAS39 Gripen have carried out all the planned missions during exercise Loyal Arrow. One of the four participating Gripen-aircraft has just taken off from the F 21 air base.Photo: Mats Carlsson/Försvarsmakten

Starting January next year, the third Fighter Unit, SE 03 will be placed on standby duty. This spring’s SE 03 consists of about 100 persons from the F 21 Wing, including technicians, an HQ unit and personnel for communications and close defence. The unit will relieve SE 02 that comes from the F 17 Wing in Ronneby.

CAP and CAS

During exercise Loyal Arrow the unit has been able to work on the preparations for this duty. The pilots have carried out a total of 78 offensive and defensive missions.“One of the defensive tasks is to defend our airspace. Our defensive missions include the dropping of ordnance on the Vidsel firing range and Close Air Support,” says Squadron Commander Edström. The Gripen has dropped four inert GBU 12 bombs, which cannot explode since steel weights replace the explosives.

Good Timing

Four Gripen aircraft from the F 21 Wing have participated in exercise Loyal Arrow, and the timing of this exercise fits our training schedule, says Squadron Commander Edström.“This is second to last exercise before standby duty commences. We did some live firing exercises during exercise Cold Response earlier this winter, and now the aim is to carry out a peace-enforcing mission. During exercise Loyal Arrow the Rules of Engagement (ROE) are more influential,” he says.“During this exercise we have also have a trained headquarters unit, and that is most useful. This will introduce important elements where the HQ unit and the other participating countries must arrive at the right decision before the missions are decided on,“ ends Squadron Commander Edström.